I stopped by Caffe Cruise and had a half roasted chicken with black rice and black beans, along with a separate dish called Linguine Cruise, which I added "prawns" to. Now, I say "prawns" because apparently there was a little seafood identity crisis happening -- they were actually shrimp! Outside of that little prawn/shrimp confusion, everything was exceptionally good. The roasted chicken was delicious, the black rice was really good, but those black beans were FIIIIRRREEE! They had this amazing smoky flavor that I absolutely loved. Seriously, those beans were ridiculously good. The Linguine Cruise was also excellent, and even though my "prawns" turned out to be shrimp, they were still damn good! The restaurant itself is huge, clean, and has plenty of seating, with a killer bar that I really liked. The atmosphere was comfortable and welcoming, and the staff were super friendly, funny, and genuinely enjoyable to deal with. Overall, I really liked this place. Great food, good portions, cool atmosphere, friendly people, and some seriously fire black beans. I'd absolutely go back! read more

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We visited with family, a group of eight, and had a reservation. Even though the restaurant was packed and lively, it never felt overly loud, making it easy to enjoy conversation. The exterior doesn't do the restaurant justice. Inside, the dining room and patios are beautifully decorated, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. There's plenty of space for both small and mid-sized groups. The food was fabulous! We started with the calamari, which was honestly some of the best I've ever had, perfectly cooked and full of flavor. We also ordered the seasonal Caprese (tomato stack) salad, which was incredibly fresh with a wonderful combination of flavors. Even the complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar stood out. The balsamic was so good I forgot to ask what brand they use so I could buy some for home! Our server was friendly, attentive, and helpful. When I ordered the fettuccine with steak, she thoughtfully confirmed whether I wanted the Gorgonzola Alfredo or the traditional Alfredo sauce. I chose the traditional Alfredo, and it was absolutely perfect. I shared it with my daughter, so the photo shows about half of the original portion. Everyone at our table loved their meals. The rotisserie chicken received rave reviews as well, although I forgot to take a photo. If the weather is nice, don't miss the outdoor patios. There's a table for six near the fireplace that looked especially inviting. I wanted to take a picture, but I couldn't get the angle without including other diners in the frame. I also tried the watermelon martini, which was refreshing and delicious, and the wine pours were generous. If you're in Aptos, this restaurant is absolutely worth a visit. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Never judge a book by it's cover. The front looks old and is windowless, but it's a totally different scene once you step inside. It's huge with a lot of seating. It looks like it would be a great place for large groups. We have never been here before and were confused as to where to park. The front area has 2 or 3 spots but I don't know if they're for customers. We found a drive way that led to the back of the restaurant that is shared by several businesses. The service was great. Everyone was very friendly and our server gave us really good feedback on the dishes we asked about. Someone was always walking around filling water glasses. We sat in the back patio. It's very spacious with a lot of umbrellas to keep guests in the shade. My husband had the meatloaf sandwich. He said it was ok, but a little dry. I really enjoyed the roasted mushroom and avocado melt, but it was hard to eat. Every time I took a bit, all the other ingredients would spill out. Lol I took out some of the greens to make it more manageable. The calamari was well seasoned and the Rock Fish Ceviche was our favorite. We'll come back to try their dinner service when we're in the area. read more

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We had a very good meal and absolutely outstanding service which earned Cafe Cruz a solid 4-star rating. I had the spicy Devil's Ginger vodka martini with the calamari appetizer and with dinner, the Lava Top Sauvignon Blanc ($13), a perfect complement to the swordfish. My swordfish was perfectly sautéed in a tapenade beurre blanc sauce ($40) with deliciously creamy and decadent polenta and buttery chopped bok choy. The way they served the bok choy was perfect- never change it. It was artsy, buttery and didn't look wilted. My son had the grilled boneless pork chops (two boneless chops) with fries and smoky beans ($28), loved. He devoured the berry fruit crisp à la mode for dessert ($12) and I had two small bites: It was like granola over compote with ice cream. I didn't complain. The best part was the incredibly flawless service. We could have felt rushed dining since it was towards the end of service. Instead, Genevieve paced the meal perfectly so we felt spoiled and unrushed. Next visit I would love to dine in their "secret garden" courtyard; it was beautiful. Their 'secret garden' would be beautiful for a private party like a birthday or wedding anniversary, bridal or baby shower. read more

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Cafe Cruz is such a gem of a neighborhood spot. You can really feel that it's family owned, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the staff goes above and beyond to make you feel taken care of. The service was attentive without being overbearing, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. I ordered the salad niçoise, and it completely exceeded my expectations. The ahi tuna was incredibly fresh, honestly sushi-grade quality, and perfectly prepared. We also tried the fish taco salad, which was just as delicious and packed with great flavor. The kid's meal was a nicely portioned with the option of two side dishes to go along with the burger. read more

Cafe Cruz - Kid's hamburger, fish taco salad, and fish tacos. - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

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You know what they say..." expect bad service for Valentine's Day weekend" . That's what we got . We ran out of water and drinks. We didn't get offered bread.... Not sure why. Our server took forever to come back and check on us. At least the food was good. I loved my Cruz sandwich. It tasted fresh and flavorful. My husband loved his pasta dish. They seemed extra busy , the outdoor area wasn't as full as inside the restaurant so I felt like we were forgotten about. At least it looked cute out there. We had to ask to turn on our heater, it was like 48 degrees out. Eh the typical service anyways I would come back but not on a holiday. read more

Cafe Cruz - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

What a great find! Their back patio is absolutely gorgeous, and we were pleasantly surprised to find plenty of indoor seating as well. I ordered the Blackened Fish Taco Salad & I opted for the Rockfish, as that is what our server recommended. The salad was beautiful plated & the taco chips served on the side were so soft & flaky. I wish I had asked for extra dressing, as I normally do for my salads, as that would have made it a 5/5! My husband ordered the Pastrami Reuben with a side of Coleslaw. My husband ordered the Pastrami Reuben with a side of Coleslaw. The combination of savory pastrami, gooey Swiss cheese, tangy Russian dressing, and sauerkraut was delicious. The service was friendly and efficient, and we would definitely return to try some of their other dishes. read more

Cafe Cruz - Pastrami Reuben - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

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Great for lunch and dinner! The variety is unlike other restaurants and plenty of setting!

I made reservations at this restaurant for a dinner to honor and reminisce about my mom who had passed away in October. A family member recommended this place and it couldn't have been any better. There were nine of us and the restaurant was large but had a comfortable and cozy feeling. The service was excellent and the food was very delicious. We started off with drinks and appetizers and they were fantastic. We had fried calamari, shoe string onion rings, fried artichoke hearts , marinated olives, and French fries to start and they were excellent! Hot and fried to perfection. Our entrees were varied to ribs, steak, rotisserie chicken , and halibut. I can't tell you enough how good everything was. The prices were reasonable and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant and we will definitely be back. Get there early because parking can be a problem. read more

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Staple in Santa Cruz. We love when we get one of Taylor's tables outside. She's our favorite server- easygoing, knows the menu, easy to talk to, and knows when to follow up with us or give us space. read more

Cafe Cruz is an absolute gem. Last night I took our granddaughter for a special dining experience to celebrate her gold medal swimming awards. Our evening was delightful at every turn. Rachel and our wonderful wait staff made dinner extra special by being in tune to every detail to make a memorable celebration. Our family and friends dine here often and it's always superb. The ambiance is enjoyable and relaxing plus our dinners are exceptional every single time. The chefs are outstanding. Highly recommend! read more

I am lost and found. I didn't know my purpose in this life was to taste the 3 beet salad. The chunky beet was juicy, the thinly sliced was mouth watering pickled, the dried one was crunchy. All that is not enough to pink my heart, the genius Chef, then slapped on 7 overweight shrimps. Lovely outdoor seating made food tastier If I die, place this beet salad on me. Beet lover read more

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Our to go to place when we in the santa cruz area this place never disappoints always quick but remember to make reservations cuz it gets packed today was smakin from rotisserie chicken to pasta and the drinks read more

I spent a long time trying to figure out where to eat. I was looking for somewhere that would be great ambiance, welcoming for kids and with fantastic food and plenty of options. This restaurant hit all the marks! I couldn't have been more pleased. The outdoor patio was so cute and they had plenty of heaters to keep us warm. We ordered the calamari (so fresh and melt in your mouth), chop salad and the short ribs. I am so glad we went here, would definitely come back read more

Cafe Cruz - Chop salad - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

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Nice restaurant, but very nice outdoor dining. We were seated right away, and brought water. But I'm not sure whether it was time we got there, but it took a bit to get a server. When we placed our order it did take a long to get it our order. We did order an appetizers but they arrived about the same time as our food. I had a chicken sandwich, my husband had calamari. My sandwich was delicious it had crispy onions a different twist. My husband liked his calamari. It is one of the best places to eat in our area. We just needed a little patience. read more

Cafe Cruz - The calamari - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

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Had the pork tenderloin dinner, cooked perfect. Juicy and full of flavor and topped with a drizzle of marsala sauce. MMMMMMmmmm Going back again soon! read more

Literally hit the road to pick up some old cabinet at an ancient house up on the mountain. Map said the way home was faster and brought us down through Soquel. Kids are whiney, I'm tired, wife picks this place strictly based off proximity. What a goddam knock out! Food great, service great, price very fair for the combination of we will drive from Hollister to come back here to eat again!! Thank you Jeanette for wonderful suggestions yes the blackened fish taco salad was bomber, yes the rotisserie chicken was delish and goddam was the shredded Brussels sprouts killer!! Thank you to the chefs who made such great food and thank you to the folks who work hard to bring it all together. Worth the try folks you may become believers! read more

I came here recently with my family and a friend visiting from out of state. We enjoyed our visit! We had made a reservation for the enclosed patio, but the host informed us that our party of 5 wouldn't be comfortable in that area. We were a little surprised and disappointed because we had been planning to sit there, but not a big deal. I love how many different spaces Cafe Cruz has. The dining room with an open kitchen! The dining room with a big and cozy fireplace! The large patio! The smaller enclosed patio! What a wonderful atmosphere. My stepdad recommended the Chop Salad and a glass of the Storrs Chardonnay. This was a great pairing and I highly recommend it. Our party also ordered the Maryland crab cakes and we all loved them as an appetizer. For mains, others ordered sandwiches as well as the beet and prawn salad. Our server was friendly and helpful. Parking is tricky but luckily there is a big plaza across the street!! read more

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The food is excellent; the service is top notch, and the restaurant is very pleasant inside and out on the patio! Our top restaurant in the area to patronize! We love it! read more

This was our second time visiting Cafe Cruz while we were in the Santa Cruz/Capitola area for Spring Break, and once again, it did not disappoint! My husband and I sat at the bar, and the service was great from the start. The bartender was friendly, attentive, and got us drink and food menus right away. Our drinks came out quickly and were made perfectly. They also told us about the daily specials, and we had our eye on the meatloaf. Since they were running low, we asked if they could hold one for us while we had an appetizer first--and they did so without hesitation, which we really appreciated. We started with their bread (served with olive oil, balsamic, and garlic--so good), and the applewood smoked buffalo wings with cilantro gorgonzola dipping sauce... SO good. Definitely a must-order. For dinner, my husband had the meatloaf special and loved it. I had the filet with blue cheese and mashed potatoes--cooked perfectly and full of flavor. We ended up ordering second drinks and chatting with the staff. Another gentleman (possibly a manager or bartender) gave us great recommendations for beaches to check out, which we ended up doing the next day--such a nice personal touch. Overall, the service, food, and atmosphere were all on point. We'll definitely be back next time we're in the Santa Cruz area. Highly recommend if you're looking for a great meal and a welcoming vibe! read more

3.5/5 Service was great, didn't catch his name but he was great and handled a difficult table next to us very well. It was fun to watch on an otherwise regular Monday night. Bread and garlic was the star of the show. Wings were not great just tasted like franks red hot and liquid smoke I would skip the if I ever came back. Tri tip special was good meat cooked perfectly and sides were good too. Linguini pasta was ok I had to add quite a bit of stuff to make it taste better- the prawns were not good. Creme brûlée was ok as well, vanilla was all at the bottom of the dish. If I was in town again I'd probably give them another go based on this exp experience. read more

Cafe Cruz - Creme brûlée - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

My favorite place for great food! Cafe Cruz is our "go to" for quality yummy meals and beautiful patio dining. Wait staff are so friendly and responsive- love Cafe Cruz! Laura Keeley, REALTOR read more

After a 5 mile hike we relaxed on the patio of cafe Cruz and had lunch. My dog had to stay in the car, no dogs allowed even on the patio, but otherwise this place was great. Blackened chicken and green chili sandwich....yum! My friends had a rockfish sandwich and an avocado sandwich with roasted mushrooms. We were all very satisfied. Service was good and the patio, the interior, and the bar were all so nice! Coleslaw needed a bit of mayo in my opinion but that's just a personal preference. I highly recommend this place and look forward to going again! read more

Hands down the best and freshest restaurant in Santa Cruz by far. The line seems to run very smoothly. I've eaten there quite a few times. I always enjoy coming here. It's exciting and very flavorful. Service on the floor when it's busy runs pretty smoothly. It's very tight when it's busy but it is a must try right on 41st Ave. across from Home Depot reservations are recommended. read more

We were at the beach for the day and unused Open Table to book a dinner reservations just in case. We ended up coming over and parking wise there is a small parking lot in front and another lot in the back. I had to circle around twice and parked at the establishment next door. Got in with the family. We were greeted and seated. The place is casual. Open table kinda made it seam upscale trendy so we were a bit bummy from the beach which was fine. Atmosphere was casual and had lots of folks eating on the patio area. I ordered the prime rib meal. The meat was okay. Could have been flavored a bit better and they like dumped horse radish like a scoop on my meat which wasn't too thrilled about. Sides that came with it, the veggies and the potatoes was not memorable. I know I didn't care for the veggies the most. I think the prime rib was missing au ju sauce. Wife ordered the swordfish. She said it was okay and a bit dry. Kids had burgers and the kids meal was big and they enjoyed it. They also enjoyed their vanilla sundae at the end that came with their meal. The service was great. Our waiter was nice and kept checking on us. Our main entrees wasn't all that we thought it would be. read more

Cafe Cruz - Prime rib meal. - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

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The service is great, the ambiance is great, the food was not good. Please take a look at that steak in the picture. I was supposed to get an 8 oz steak. The waiter said it was an 8 oz steak. Needless to say that I was disappointed to pay $35 for this meal. I left the restaurant hungry and I ate some leftovers from the night before when we got home. Our waiter empathized with our disappointment so she took the soft drink off the tab, She said that is the best she could do. It was a nice gesture. We will not be returning to this establishment. read more

Cafe Cruz - Their "8 oz steak". It's not even the size of a deck of card, which would be 4 oz. The taste was great but the portion was disappointing. - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

This has been a long overdue review. I started coming to Cafe Cruz when I first moved to Santa Cruz in 2024. I was looking for a restaurant with consistently good service and food. cafe Cruz hits all the marks. The prices are reasonable for the area. With the food always being consistent with its quality. This place is where I go when I want a good meal. The ambiance is of a higher end restaurant. The place is always packed so make reservations! read more

Delicious food that's vegetable driven it seems. The Niçoise salad at lunch was fabulous, as was the gracious service. Loved the artichoke heart appetizer and my friend swears by the steak salad she ordered. Lovely place with reasonable prices for the quality of food they serve. read more

The food, service and ambience are great. Salads are especially nice. There is a lovely patio, heaters and umbrellas as needed. The only drawback is that parking is almost impossible. Highly recommend and would go more often except for the parking problem! read more

Had dinner at Cafe Cruz in Soquel and overall, it was a great experience! The atmosphere is cozy with a slightly upscale vibe, and the staff was super friendly and attentive without being overbearing. I ordered the Linguini Cruz and added the skirt steak--highly recommend that combo. The linguini was perfectly cooked, tossed in a flavorful garlic cream sauce with roasted mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and just the right amount of parmesan. Adding the skirt steak took it to another level--tender, juicy, and nicely seasoned. It balanced out the richness of the pasta really well. Overall great experience and a place I would go back to. read more

Cafe Cruz - Linguini Cruz w/ added skirt steak - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

Food was fantastic! Prices are very reasonable, especially based on the quality and presentation of the entrees. Without a doubt the most unique (and best) onion rings I've ever experienced. The crowning attribute was the utterly OUTSTANDING service. Franklin was / is one of the most attentive and helpful servers I've ever experienced. We're going back tonight! read more

Beautiful restaurant with an amazing atmosphere! The whole is staff was very nice and attentive. I went to Cafe Cruz with my boyfriend, who has been there a few times, but It was my first time there and really liked. I ordered Linguine and prawns, which tasted pretty good. The sauce was good, prawns were well cooked and the pasta was delicious. I also ordered fried artichokes, I personally didn't like them because it was too oily. I ordered a glass of red wine and had an amazing time with my bf there. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

Cafe Cruz - Linguine & Prawns - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

Cafe Cruz! You never disappoint. Same energetic vibe, great cocktails, friendly staff and the chop salad and rotisserie chicken, delicious.

First time my meal was disappointing over seasoned, too many conflicting flavors in linguine with prawns, calamari very greasy , less than stellar service and very noisy! This was my 6th visit not sure I'll go back with so many other options in the area. Very sad that restaurant was not up to par! read more

Always great service, food is very good. A great plan e for lunch as well Great choices on the menu as well as many good wines by the glass read more

On vacation and a local friend recommended Cafe Cruz. So happy we decided to go there. Sat outside in their covered patio with fireplace and space heater and it was wonderful. Everyone's food was delicious and the staff was super friendly. We will be coming back!. This is a must try if your looking for great food and service in a unique place. read more

Very unsuspecting from the building outside, but the inside is cute. The patio is fantastic and the food was amazing. Our waiter was on top of it patient helpful, and constantly on top of refilling our drinks. The fettuccine Alfredo is probably one of the best I've ever had will definitely make this a go to spot for us! read more

Cafe Cruz - Seafood Near Me - Soquel, California

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Went to cafe Cruz for lunch a few weeks ago and it was amazing!!! We were served by Lauren (blond tattoos in case there is more than one!). Everything was so amazing!! Lauren was so friendly and personable. Everything she recommend hit!!! Her menu knowledge and professionalism mixed with a stunning personality made our lunch out a total "experience". Thank you Lauren and Cafe Cruz. We will be back. read more

The food was delicious! We had a late dinner and the kitchen was super busy, but we still got our food in a timely fashion!

After a hike we decided to look for a fun place to grab some food before heading back out of town. We found Cafe Cruz and what a gem ! The patio area was beautifully set up and inviting! We had a seat by the fountain and enjoyed excellent service and food ! We enjoyed the buffalo artichoke appetizer and one of their daily special menu items! They did not disappoint ! For great food and friendly staff, I highly recommend an afternoon at Cafe Cruz! read more

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